In general, the present invention relates to a recording apparatus, a recording method, a playback apparatus, a playback method, a recording/playback apparatus, a recording/playback method, a presentation medium and a recording medium. More particularly, the present invention relates to a recording apparatus, a recording method, a playback apparatus, a playback method, a recording/playback apparatus, a recording/playback method, a presentation medium and a recording medium that make it possible to again make an access to a location on a disc which was accessed immediately before the disc was ejected.
In recent years, as a recording medium for recording data such as video information, a disc is drawing much attention, replacing a magnetic tape. Having a lack of random accessibility, a magnetic tape is suitable for use as a recording medium for simply recording and playing back video information continuously.
On the other hand, since a disc allows random accesses, video information can be played back from any arbitrary locations on the disc in any arbitrary order even if the video information was recorded on the disc continuously.
When a magnetic tape is ejected from a recording/playback apparatus, the magnetic tape can be put at the same position as the position the magnetic tape is ejected with ease. Thus, when the magnetic tape is remounted on the recording/playback apparatus, processing to record or play back information onto or from the magnetic tape can be started from the position immediately prior to the eject operation. In the case of an ejected disc, however, there is raised a problem that it is difficult to start processing to record or play back information onto or from the disc from a position immediately prior to an eject operation due to unfortunately to the random accessibility of the disc.
It is thus an object of the present invention addressing the problem described above to make accesses started from a position immediately prior to an eject operation.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording apparatus for recording information on a recording medium is characterized in that the apparatus including:
a recording means for making an access to a predetermined location on the recording medium and recording information on the location;
a commanding means for making a request for ejection of the recording medium from the recording apparatus;
a storage means for storing resume-function related information including at least a location on the recording medium accessed by the recording means immediately prior to the ejection of the recording medium requested by the commanding means;
a transfer control means for controlling an operation to transfer the resume-function related information stored in the storage means to the recording medium prior to the ejection of the recording medium; and
an ejecting means for ejecting the recording medium from the recording apparatus upon completion of the operation to transfer the resume-function related information stored in the storage means to the recording medium.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording method adopted in a recording apparatus for recording information on a recording medium is characterized in that the method including:
a recording step of making an access to a predetermined location on the recording medium and recording information on the location;
a commanding step of making a request for ejection of the recording medium from the recording apparatus;
a storage step of storing resume-function related information including at least a location on the recording medium accessed at the recording step immediately prior to the ejection of the recording medium requested at the commanding step;
a transfer control step of controlling an operation to transfer the resume-function related information stored at the storage step to the recording medium prior to the ejection of the recording medium; and
an ejecting step of ejecting the recording medium from the recording apparatus upon completion of the operation to transfer the resume-function related information to the recording medium.
In accordance with further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a presentation medium is characterized in that the presentation medium is used for presenting a program executable by a computer to drive a recording apparatus for recording information on a recording medium to carry out processing including:
a recording step of making an access to a predetermined location on the recording medium and recording information on the location;
a commanding step of making a request for ejection of the recording medium from the recording apparatus;
a storage step of storing resume-function related information including at least a location on the recording medium accessed at the recording step immediately prior to the ejection of the recording medium requested at the commanding step;
a transfer control step of controlling an operation to transfer the resume-function related information stored at the storage step to the recording medium prior to the ejection of the recording medium; and
an ejecting step of ejecting the recording medium from the recording apparatus upon completion of the operation to transfer the resume-function related information to the recording medium.
In accordance with still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a playback apparatus for playing back information from a recording medium is characterized in that the apparatus including:
a playback means for making an access to a predetermined location on the recording medium and playing back information recorded on the recording medium from the location;
a reading means for reading out resume-function related information from the recording medium upon insertion of the recording medium into the playback apparatus; and
a location control means for controlling a location on the recording medium to be accessed by the playback means in accordance with what is read out by the reading means from the recording medium.
In accordance with yet further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a playback method adopted in a playback apparatus for playing back information from a recording medium is characterized in that the method including:
a playback step of making an access to a predetermined location on the recording medium and playing back information recorded on the recording medium from the location;
a reading step of reading out resume-function related information from the recording medium upon insertion of the recording medium into the playback apparatus; and
a location control step of controlling a location on the recording medium to be accessed at the playback step in accordance with what is read out from the recording medium at the reading step.
In accordance with yet aspect of the present invention, there is provided a presentation medium is characterized in that the presentation medium is used for presenting a program executable by a computer to drive a playback apparatus for playing back information from a recording medium to carry out processing including:
a playback step of making an access to a predetermined location on the recording medium and playing back information recorded on the recording medium from the location;
a reading step of reading out resume-function related information from the recording medium upon insertion of the recording medium into the playback apparatus; and
a location control step of controlling a location on the recording medium to be accessed at the playback step in accordance with what is read out from the recording medium at the reading step.
In accordance with yet aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording/playback apparatus for recording and playing back information onto and from a recording medium is characterized in that the apparatus including:
a recording/playback means for making an access to a predetermined location on the recording medium and recording or playing back information onto or from the location;
a commanding means for making a request for ejection of the recording medium from the recording/playback apparatus;
a storage means for storing resume-function related information including at least a location on the recording medium accessed by the recording/playback means immediately prior to the ejection of the recording medium requested by the commanding means;
a transfer control means for controlling an operation to transfer the resume-function related information stored in the storage means to the recording medium prior to the ejection of the recording medium;
an ejecting means for ejecting the recording medium from the recording/playback apparatus upon completion of the operation to transfer the resume-function related information stored in the storage means to the recording medium;
a reading means for reading out resume-function related information from the recording medium upon insertion of the recording medium into the recording/playback apparatus; and
a location control means for controlling a location on the recording medium to be accessed by the recording/playback means in accordance with what is read out by the reading means from the recording medium.
In accordance with yet aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording/playback method adopted in a recording/playback apparatus for recording and playing back information onto and from a recording medium is characterized in that the method including:
a recording/playback step of making an access to a predetermined location on the recording medium and recording or playing back information onto or from the location;
a commanding step of making a request for ejection of the recording medium from the recording/playback apparatus;
a storage step of storing resume-function related information including at least a location on the recording medium accessed at the recording/playback step immediately prior to the ejection of the recording medium requested at the commanding step;
a transfer control step of controlling an operation to transfer the resume-function related information stored at the storage step to the recording medium prior to the ejection of the recording medium;
an ejecting step of ejecting the recording medium from the recording/playback apparatus upon completion of the operation to transfer the resume-function related information to the recording medium;
a reading step of reading out the resume-function related information from the recording medium upon insertion of the recording medium into the recording/playback apparatus; and
a location control step of controlling a location on the recording medium to be accessed at the recording/playback step in accordance with what is read out at the reading step from the recording medium.
In accordance with yet aspect of the present invention, there is provided a presentation medium is characterized in that the presentation medium is used for presenting a program executable by a computer to drive a playback/recording apparatus for playing back information from a recording medium to carry out processing including:
a recording/playback step of making an access to a predetermined location on the recording medium and recording or playing back information onto or from the location;
a commanding step of making a request for ejection of the recording medium from the recording/playback apparatus;
a storage step of storing resume-function related information including at least a location on the recording medium accessed at the recording/playback step immediately prior to the ejection of the recording medium requested at the commanding step;
a transfer control step of controlling an operation to transfer the resume-function related information stored at the storage step to the recording medium prior to the ejection of the recording medium;
an ejecting step of ejecting the recording medium from the recording/playback apparatus upon completion of the operation to transfer the resume-function related information to the recording medium;
a reading step of reading out the resume-function related information from the recording medium upon insertion of the recording medium into the recording/playback apparatus; and
a location control step of controlling a location on the recording medium to be accessed at the recording/playback step in accordance with what is read out at the reading step from the recording medium.
In the recording apparatus, the recording method and the presentation medium according to the present invention, resume-function related information including at least a location on a recording medium accessed immediately prior to ejection of the recording medium from the recording apparatus as requested by an eject command is recorded into the recording medium.
In the playback apparatus, the playback method and the presentation medium according to the present invention, resume-function related information is read out from a recording medium when the recording medium is inserted into the playback apparatus and a location on the recording medium to be accessed is determined in accordance with the resume-function related information read out from the recording medium.
In the recording/playback apparatus, the recording/playback method and the presentation medium according to the present invention, resume-function related information including at least a location on a recording medium accessed immediately prior to ejection of the recording medium from the recording/playback apparatus as requested by an eject command is recorded into the recording medium. In addition, the resume-function related information is read out back from the recording medium when the recording medium is inserted into the recording/playback apparatus and a location on the recording medium to be accessed is determined in accordance with the resume-function related information read out from the recording medium.